Xuanzhou Papaya

Xuanzhou Papaya

　　Xuanzhou papaya is a specialty of Xuanzhou District, Xuancheng City, Anhui Province. Xuan papaya is produced in towns such as Shuidong, Sunbu, Xintian, Zhouwang, Xikou, and Jinba in Xuanzhou District, with small amounts also produced in Jing County and Ningguo. Xuan papaya is warm in nature, with a sour and astringent taste, and is known to relax tendons, activate collaterals, and alleviate symptoms of rheumatism. The cultivation of Xuan papaya in Xuanzhou District has a history of over 1,500 years, and it was designated as an imperial tribute as early as the Northern and Southern Dynasties period.

　　Xuan papaya from Xintian Town, Xuancheng City, Anhui Province, is a distinctive local resource. To develop this brand into a well-known name and achieve resource sharing, Xintian Town has taken the opportunity of converting farmland back to forest to actively explore the revitalization of Xuan papaya. Through the operational mechanism of “company + farmers + base,” the town’s Xuan papaya cultivation area has surged from less than 1,000 mu in 2000 to 7,000 mu today, with over 1,000 planting households. Under the leadership of Qiguawang Xuan Papaya Co., Ltd., a standardized 600-mu planting base, a 100-mu seedling base, and a 300-mu fruit and melon forest base have been established. A new 1,000-mu Xuan papaya corridor has also been built, along with a supporting Xuan papaya research institute, forming an agro-industrial enterprise integrating agriculture, industry, trade, and scientific research. Through technical cooperation with research institutions and universities, the company has developed three series and nine varieties of Xuan papaya products. In particular, the launch of the culturally rich “Xidi Sentiment” series has not only been favored by consumers but also shone brightly at the Shanghai Agricultural Products Expo and the Anhui International Huizhou Merchants Conference. In 2004, Xuan papaya dry red wine was named a Anhui Provincial Famous Agricultural Product, and Xintian Town was designated by the municipal government as the “Hometown of Xuan Papaya.”

　　Xuan papaya contains nineteen amino acids, eighteen mineral trace elements, and large amounts of vitamin C. It also includes saponins, flavonoids, malic acid, oleanolic acid, citric acid, lemon acid, tartaric acid, ascorbic acid, trans-1-dicarboxylic acid, and tannins, as well as enzymes such as 1-enzyme, phenol oxidase, and oxidase. It is particularly rich in superoxide dismutase (SOD) and oleanolic acid. Its SOD content is unparalleled among all fruits in the world, with a single gram of fresh Xuan papaya containing up to 3,227 international units of SOD. SOD is a core substance in modern beauty and skincare products, effectively eliminating excess free radicals in the body and promoting cellular renewal. Oleanolic acid has broad-spectrum antibacterial effects and offers benefits such as liver protection, enzyme reduction, immune enhancement, anti-inflammation, and blood lipid and sugar regulation.

　　The first batch of the “Food and Medicine Homology” list published by the National Health Commission includes Xuan papaya as both a medicine and a food.

　　Xuan papaya is a product with a geographical indication for agricultural products.

　　The geographical protection area for the Xuan papaya geographical indication of agricultural products covers 62 towns, townships, and subdistricts under the jurisdiction of Xuanzhou District, Xuancheng City, Anhui Province. The geographical coordinates are between 118°28′ to 119°04′ east longitude and 30°34′ to 31°04′ north latitude.